Settling of scores against a backdrop of drug trafficking is commonplace in Marseille. This was, until now, a little less the case in Sevran, where cannabis dealers have occupied certain neighborhoods for many years. But in less than 48 hours, three people were killed by bullets in this town of Seine-Saint-Denis.
The first lost her life during the night from Friday to Saturday, in the Beaudottes district. According to our information, the victim was with other people in the parking lot located in front of the Micro-Folie, a cultural center located near the city of Beaudottes. Around 11:50 p.m., two people arrived in a Peugeot 5008. The passenger got out of the vehicle then fired several times, before fleeing. When the police arrived, five injured people were on the ground. Despite the intervention of emergency services, Karim Y., 28, who was hit in the throat and head, died on the spot.
An “unbelievable outburst” of violence
The four other victims, men aged 22 to 29, were evacuated to different hospitals. During the night, three other gunshot wounds were admitted to the Aulnay-sous-Bois hospital center, one of whom left before registering. 25 7.62 cartridge cases, a caliber used in particular for Kalashnikov-type weapons, were found on the ground. An investigation into intentional homicide by an organized gang and attempted intentional homicide by an organized gang was opened by the Bobigny public prosecutor’s office. She was entrusted to the criminal brigade of the Paris judicial police.
For the mayor of the town, there is no doubt that this is a settling of scores linked to drug trafficking. “The unprecedented outbreak of this violence does not occur by chance. It is trafficking, the dirty money of the drug economy that is responsible,” Stéphane Blanchet wrote in a press release. The Bobigny public prosecutor indicated this Monday that it was “a working hypothesis”. Eric Mathais, however, clarified that “none of the victims have any criminal records” related to drug cases.
Victims known to the police
Two days later, a new shooting broke out in Sevran. This time in the Cité Basse district. Around 6:10 p.m., the victims were near a playground when a man, his face masked, arrived, indicates a police source. Dressed entirely in black and wearing a leather jacket, he fired several times with a handgun at Sofiane B., 35, and Abderrahim B., 31. One was shot in the head. The other received six bullets. Both died before help arrived.
The suspect then fled on foot. Still according to our information, 18 shell casings were found on site by the police, as well as an automatic pistol magazine. “We have good reason to believe that the facts of this (Sunday) evening are not completely unrelated to drug trafficking,” indicated the prefect of police, Laurent Nuñez, during a press briefing in the Sevran police station. It must be said that the two victims were already known to the police for violence and drug trafficking. An investigation was opened by the prosecution, again entrusted to the criminal brigade of the Parisian PJ. In these two cases, the perpetrators are actively sought.
A consequence of “XXL net space” operations?
Is there a link between the two shootings? “We must be extremely careful,” stressed Laurent Nuñez. “No link can be established at this stage with the fatal shooting that occurred on May 3 in Sevran,” also said the Bobigny public prosecutor.
On the other hand, the police chief recalled that an anti-drug operation “XXL square” had been launched in this town of 52,000 inhabitants on March 25. “Obviously, we are aware that when we do that, we destabilize traffic. We create greed and sometimes there are clashes between gangs to recover territories, hence a certain number of score-settling which results in homicides,” said the senior official.
“Risks of escalations”
“These “XXL net square” operations make sense because they allow colleagues to occupy every square centimeter on the ground in the cities, to put a stop to – at least temporarily – drug trafficking,” explains to 20 minutes Eric Henry, national delegate of the Alliance union. “This made it possible to dismantle certain networks. As a result, others might want to take their place, and extend their territorial influence to optimize their gains. The financial windfall is so important that some people want to earn more and more money,” he insists.
For Linda Kebbab, national delegate of the Un1té union, these operations “locally destabilize the trafficking networks since we arrest coal miners – sellers – lieutenants, lookouts”. “This can be an opportunity, for some, to try to recover territory,” she repeats. But violence breeds violence. And for the unionist, there are “risks of escalations, of reprisals to avenge the death of the day before by attacking the team opposite”. “This can also explain the chain of settling of scores over several days. We are dealing with clan wars, we must not forget that. »